The Sacramento Kings are nearing an agreement with Doug Christie for him to remain as the head coach after a challenging interim term that concluded in disappointment during the Play-In Tournament.

An insider revealed to the Associated Press on Tuesday that a multi-year contract for Christie is in the final stages, with details remaining undisclosed until the team’s official announcement.

The decision was initially reported by ESPN. Christie stepped into the coaching role after Mike Brown’s dismissal in late December, managing a 27-24 record during his interim period. The Kings qualified for the Play-In Tournament as the ninth seed but suffered a defeat on home turf against Dallas.

Following that loss, General Manager Monte McNair and the team mutually agreed to part ways, and Scott Perry was brought in as his successor.

Perry expressed his intent to swiftly resolve the coaching situation, ultimately opting to keep Christie in his position. The duo now aims to bring the Kings back to playoff contention, having missed out in the last two seasons. The Kings have made the playoffs only once in nearly the last two decades, suffering a first-round elimination to Golden State in 2023 under Brown’s leadership.

Since Vivek Ranadive became the owner in 2013, the Kings have maintained one of the poorest records in the NBA, with five different executives and nine head coaches—interim included—over that time.

The franchise is optimistic that the collaboration between Perry and Christie will foster the stability it desperately needs. The team boasts a promising core that includes Domantas Sabonis, DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine, Keegan Murray, and Malik Monk.

The Kings are unlikely to possess a first-round draft pick, having only a 3.8% chance to land in the top four during the lottery. Should they fail, the pick will be sent to Atlanta as part of a prior transaction involving Kevin Huerter.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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